Cover-separating means



March 25, 1930. PEYSER 1,751,556

COVER SEPARATING MEANS Filed April 15, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 All / INVENTOR I ATTORNEY March 25, 1930. J. PEYSER 5 COVER SEPARATING MEANS Filed April 15, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mill 5 I E (Hull v" E l1 n 55 I y n W i "Jag Lo: i 11 INVENTOR Joseph Peysez ATTORNEY March 25, 1930. J. PEY SE 1,751,556

- COVER SEPARATING MEANS Filed April 15, 1927. s sheets-she t 3 INVENTOR seplz 1 65681 ATTORN EY Pa tented Application filed April 13,

This invention relates to separating means for a stack of blanks and has more particularly reference to separating means for covers of cans or containers.

Covers for containers of the type herein described are provided with a surrounding flange. In the case of covers for ound containers this flange is.curled slightly in a downward direction whereby the covers nest neatly and can be readily separated. Alsothe blanking operation presents no difiiculty because the flange is continuous and no complicated die mechanism is necessary for the production of these blanks, but when it.

comes to the-production of blanks or covers for non-circular containers the case is different. For reasons which it will-take us too far afield to explain, the flange cannot, with advantage, be curled continuously or throughout its length but only at certain points and the die mechanism for producing these blanks therefore becomes rather complicated. On

the other hand if the flange is left uncurledthroughout and is a simple flat flange then considerable difliculty is experienced in sepa:

rating the covers.

readily separated.

The main object and feature of this invention is to devise a separating means or a sustaining and separating means whereby covers with flat (or uncurled) flanges may be In the accompany-ing drawings the invention is embodied in a concrete and preferred form in which: Fig. 1 is a top plan view-of a cover stack and adjacent elements embodying one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view'substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional.

' view substantially on the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan view of the separating members. Y I

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing improper nesting of covers in a stack.

Fig. 6 is a. diagrammatic sectional view substantially on the plane of line 6-6 of Figs. 4 and 5. Y

Josnrn mm, or momrr vmom m roan covnn-snraaarnm -HEAN5 i921. 8erial1To.188,'448.

7 is a. diagrammatic sectional view' substantially on the plane of line.7--( of' Fi' s.4 and 5.

ig. 8 1s a view similar to Fig.7 but showmg a further stage of operation.

1 indicates upstanding members forming a hopp r for a stack of covers-2, said covers being 1 ere shown as non-circular covers. 3 is an ejector, conventionally represented as a slidable member actuated from cam'4 by "means of connections 5. This ejector acts in the conventional way to advance a cover after it has been separated from the stack.

6 and 7 represent two seplarating members located opposite to each 0t er on either side .of the stack, and these members move toward, and-away from each other andthe stack; the

resultingoperation being that said members move in to engage the stack between adjacent covers, the lowermos cover being released and the'remainder of the stack ing sust'ained,and, after the released cover has been moved away, the separating members withdraw and allow the stack to drop, after which the operation is repeated. Any. suitable means may be employed to efiect the inward and outward movement of the separating members. Inthe present instance these members arecarriedby slides 8m'ovable in suit able guides and a spring 9 tends to urge slides 8 toward each other while a cam 10 and connectionsll are utilized to move said slides away from each other. Slots as .12 are preferably' provided so that in case the inward movement is unduly impeded it need not take place. The operator of the machine is frequently careless in loading the cover stack hopper, an example of this being shown in Fig. 3 near the top of the-cover stack and also in Fig. 5. To make the device to operate efliciently and uninterruptedly the separating members are made self-adjusting in responseto opposition encountered in engaging the stack. To this end the supporting means for the separating members are so constructed or mounted that they will yield in response to said opposition, if any exists. Specifically the construction here is as follows: Each member is mounted on a pivotal support 13 about midway between the ends of the member, and each member carries a plurality of fingers 14, here two in number, that are individually yielding on an axis 15 at right angles to pivot 13. A spring 16 acts agamst abutment 17 to normally move the outer. ex tremity of a finger 14 into its lowermost position, such position being determined by adjustable stop 18.

Let us assume that blanks occupying the position'shown in Fig. 5 are contained in the hopper, then it is clear that fingers 14 and 14 will have no difliculty in entering between adjacent covers as shown clearly in Figs. 4, 6 and 7. Finger 14: (Figs. 4 and 7) will clearly encounter resistance and this will have the efiect of swinging member 7 on its pivot 13 which movement will cause finger 14 (Figs. 4 and 6) to move inwardly between the covers. As the lowermost cover is fed forward by ejector 3 it will cause the next adjacent cover to rise slightly and this will be compensated for by tilting 145 (Fig. 8) in an upward direction on its axis 15. The above is merely one illustration of the difliculties that may be encountered but it will serve to illustrate the flexibility of the device. For as will be seen the separating means will yield in a luralit-y of directions different from that of the reciprocating movement of slides 8.

Referring to Fig. 2 a gate 19 is arranged in the wall of the hopper so that if the nextto-the-bottom cover should be moved forward by the ejector, said gate will yield by reason of spring 20 and will allow the lowermost cover to escape while retaining the next one within the hopper.

I claim:

1. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage between adjacent blanks and supporting means for said separating member to admit of its yielding, in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack, in a direction difierent from its path of movement.

2. Separatingmeans, for astack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage between adjacent blanks and supporting means for said separating member to admit of its yielding, in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack, in a plurality of directions different from its path of movement.

3. Separating means, for astack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack. to engage betweenadj acent blanks and supporting means for said separating member to admit of its yielding, in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack, in a plurality of directions difierent tron; each other and from its path of movemen 4. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a separatin member movable toward and away from t e stack to engage between adjacent blanks and supporting means for the member to admit'of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward movement of opposite ends of said member in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack.

5. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a' separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage between adjacent blanksvand a pivotal sup ort for the member substantially midway 0 its ends to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward swinging movement of opposite ends of said mem er in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack.

6. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage between adjacent blanks and a plurality of individually yielding separating fingers arranged sideby side on said member.

7. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage be tween adjacent blanks, supporting means to admit of its yielding, in response to opposition encountered by said member when en.-

gaging the stack, in a direction different from its path of movement and a plurality of separating fingers arranged side by side on said member and mounted to yield independently of each other in a direction difierent from that of the yielding movement and the path of movement of the member toward and away from the stack.

8. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage between adjacent blanks, supporting means for the member to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward movement of opposite ends of said member in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack, and a plurality of separating fingers arranged, side by. side on said member and mounted to yield independently of each other in a'direction different from that of the movement of the member on its supporting means and from its path of movement toward and away from the stack.

9. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a. separating member movable toward andaway from the stack to engage between adjacent blanks, a pivotal support for the member substantially midway of its ends to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward swinging movement of opposite ends of said member in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack and a plurality of separating fingers, at least one on each side of the pivotal support, mounted to yield inde ndently of each other in a direction di erent from the swinging movement of the member and from its path of movement toward and away from the stack.

10. Separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: a separating member movable toward and away from the stack to engage between adjacentblanks, a pivotal support for the member substantially midway of its ends to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward swinging movement of opposite ends of said member in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaglng the stack and a pluralityof-separating fingers, at least-one on each side of the pivotal support, mounted to turn individually on an axis at right angles to the pivotal support of the member,

' 1'1. Sustaining and separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: two opposed separating members movable toward and away from each other and from the stack to engage at opposite sides between adjacent blanks, and sup orting means for each member to admit o its yielding independently of the other, in response .to opposition encountered by a member when engaging the stack, in a direction different from its path of movement.

12. Sustaining and separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: two opposed separating members movable toward and away from each other andfrom the stack to engage at opposite sides, and supporting means for each member to admit of its yielding independently of the other, in response to opposition encountered by a member when engagmg the stack, in a plurality of directions different from its path of movement. v

13. Sustaining and separating means, for

' a stack of blanks, including: two opposed separating members movable toward and away from each other and from the stack to engage at opposite sides, between adjacent blanks, and supporting means for each member to admit of its yielding independently of the other, in response to opposition encountered by a member when engaging the stack,

in a plurality of directions different from each other and from itsvpath of movement.

14. Sustaining and separating means, for a stack of blanks, including: two opposed separating members movable toward and away from each other and from the stack to engage at opposite sides, between adjacent blanks, and individual supporting means for each member to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward movement of opposite ends of a member in response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack.

15. Sustaining andseparating means, for

' a stack of blanks, including: two opposed a and a plurality between adjacent blanks,

countered by said member when engaging the stack. a l

16. Sustainin and separating means, for a stack of bla s, including: two opposed separating member's movable toward and away from each other and from the stack to engage at blanks, and a plurality of individually yielding separating fingers arranged side by side on-each of said members.

17. Sustaining and separating means, for a stack of b1anks,.1ncluding two opposed separating members movable toward and away i from each other and from the stack to engage at opposite sides between adjacent bla supporting means for each memberto admit of its yielding independently of the other, in response to opposition encountered by a member when engaging the stack, in a direction difierent from its path of movement,

of separating fingers arranged side by side in each member, said fin ers, on each member, mounted to yield in ependently of each other in a direction different from that of the yielding movement and the path of movement of the member toward and away from the stack.

18. Sustainin and separating means, for a stack of bla including: two opposed separating members movable toward and away from each other and from the stack to engage at opposite blanks, individual su porting means for each member to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward movement of opposite ends of a member in response to opposition encountered by said member when 110 engaging the stack, and a plurality of sepa- I rating fingers arranged side by side on each member, said fingers, on each member,

mounted to yleld independently of each other in a direction difi'erent from-that ofthe move- 11'5 'ment of the member on its supporting means a substantially simultaneous outward and inward swinging movement of opposite ends of said member inresponse to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the. stack, and a plurality of separating g movement of opposite ends i opposite sides, between adjacent 0 7 sides, between adjacent fingers on each member, at least one on each side of the pivotal support of each member,

said fin rs, on each member, mounted to yield in ependently of each other in a direction different from the swinging movement of the member and from its path of movement toward and away from the stack.

20. Sustainin and separating means, for a stack of bla s, including: two opposed separating members movable toward and away from each other and from the stack to engage at opposite sides, between adjacent.

blanks, a pivotal support for each member substantially midway of its ends to admit of a substantially simultaneous outward and inward swingin movement of opposite ends of said member 1n response to opposition encountered by said member when engaging the stack, and a plurality of separating fingers on each member, at least one on each side of the pivotal support of each member, said fin ers, on each member, mounted to turn in ividually on an axis at right angles to the pivotal support of the member.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, this 8th day of April, 1927. JOSEPH PEYSER, 

